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Broadband India Forum extends ICT support to differently-abled

February 24, 2018

Broadband India Forum (BIF), which functions as a policy forum and think-tank that works for the development and enhancement of the entire broadband ecosystem, has extended all its support and cooperation for making a difference to lives of differently-abled people in its response to TRAI Consultation Paper.

On Information and communication technology (ICT) for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), the Forum has suggested to formulate an advisory to regulate the equipment and service providers and reaffirming the support to set up an ICT disability advisory committee involving all relevant Ministries and Standards Development Organisations.

It has also supported the recommendation to notify standards and set out guidelines and policies for provision of telecom services, ICTs and continue to monitor implementation of the policies and also recommended universally accessible and inclusive ICT ecosystem by bringing accessibility requirements into all government procurement contracts, according to official statement here.

BIF president TV Ramachandran said, “ICT has not been able to achieve the desired impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in India till today. Several policy initiatives have been undertaken but none of them clearly identified the standards to be complied for different domains of accessibility.